The Santa Clarita City Council is slated to discuss Tuesday the possible cost of purchasing land from Mayor Laurene Weste, as well as the county of Los Angeles, in order to finish the Dockweiler Extension Project.
The ongoing Dockweiler project has been in discussion for years and was originally approved in 2018. It is designed to align Dockweiler Drive and Railroad Avenue at 13th Street and Arch Street.
The move has drawn the ire of some Placerita Canyon residents who have voiced their concerns over public safety, traffic and noise. However, supporters of the plan, such as city staff and The Master’s University, have said it would be beneficial to the hundreds of students and residents who live in the area.
In a story published last year, The Signal reported that approximately 6.4 acres of Weste’s property would be affected by the route of the planned Dockweiler Drive extension, according to Los Angeles County Assessor maps.
Five of Weste’s six properties would be affected, including one that contains a roughly 1,000-square-foot home, according to the assessor’s map, and the City Council agenda item.
Between the five affected parcels there are approximately 278,647 square feet, or roughly 6.39 acres, owned by Weste, according to the L.A. County Assessor’s figures. Los Angeles County owns a handful of other parcels to the west of Weste’s property that would also be affected by the new road extension.
Weste has abstained from the council’s conversations about the purchase and the project during open and closed sessions over the past several years.
The discussion on Tuesday is slated to be held during the closed session before the regular meeting. According to the meeting agenda, the topic under negotiation is listed as: “Price and terms for acquisition and disposal of property for Dockweiler Drive Extension Project.”
The closed session is set to take place at 5 p.m. at City Hall, located at 23920 Valencia Blvd. The regular meeting open to the public is scheduled to begin an hour later at 6 p.m.
